Take It Easy, Make It Last
by kysouza3123
Summary: Rosalie and Emmett are living in New York City, struggling to make ends meet after running away from their hometown and getting married in Vegas at the age of eighteen. Emmett suspects that his wife is hiding something from him.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight... this is just me setting the characters by SM in crazy situations for fun..

Take It Easy, Make It Last by **kysouza3123**

Chapter 1 - _same routine, different day_

**EMPOV**

"Rose!" I yelled from our small kitchen. "I have your lunch packed. Come get it. I'm leaving now. Remember to lock the door this time. I don't want whatever little possessions we have to be stolen."

I heard her grumbling as she stepped out of our bedroom. "Alright, I heard you the first time you said that. I won't forget this time."

I smiled as I handed my wife her lunch bag that I put together for her.

She took it and peered inside. "Cheese sandwich again, Emmett? Can't we get something else? Like a chicken sub with some veggies? Maybe a slice of chocolate cake as well..." Rosalie trailed off.

I looked at her seriously. "Rose, you know we don't have enough money to buy more expensive food. Take what you get. A cheese sandwich is simple, easy, and cheap. And plus, I have a carton of orange juice for you in there along with a bag of cheese puffs."

Rosalie gagged. "Cheese puffs? That's what our snack of the week is?"

"If you don't want it, I'll take it." I said, rolling my eyes at her. She always complained that I never got 'good' snacks when grocery shopping for us. I never let her go grocery shopping because she would end up going over budget and buying unnecessary and expensive food items that would be gone in one day. I had to make our budget last the entire week. Otherwise, we'd be starving. She couldn't understand how tight money was for us at the moment.

"No," she shook her head. "There is no way you are taking my snack away from me. I'll eat it, even if the extra calories kill me."

I smirked as she spun around and went back to get her coat.

Both of us were leaving for our jobs. We both worked two jobs to help keep up with bills and the rent each month in our small little apartment. It was difficult, but we had to keep working hard.

During the day, I worked as an assistant manager of sorts at this athletic store. At night, I worked part time as a bartender for a popular club. I worked full time on weekends at the bar.

Rose was a cashier at a women's boutique during the week and worked at a bookstore on the weekends. We were both exhausted day after day, but the money helped keep us stay afloat. Without it, we were goners.

She and I were too proud to ask our parents for anything. When we decided to get married after high school, our parents refused to allow us to get married. We ran away and got married in Vegas. Rosalie wasn't too fond of this idea, but she wanted to get married badly. I loved her a lot, but the woman could drive me crazy at times. Rose would be considered selfish and cold, but once you got past that rock hard exterior, she was soft as a marshmallow.

As for me, I was willing to make things work if we were married. She was my wife, I was her husband. We had a responsibility for each other.

"I love you, sweetheart." I called out as I turned the door knob.

"Wait!" She squealed as she darted out of our bedroom, her coat on.

"Yes?" I chuckled as she threw her arms around my neck.

"I wanted to say goodbye before you left." She batted her eyelashes at me and pouted.

I leaned in for a quick kiss. I had to leave now or risk being late for work.

"Mwuah!" We broke away after a minute and Rose hastily grabbed her lunch bag.

"See you after work." I hugged her to me and then shut the door.

**RPOV**

I didn't really like our lifestyle and often showed my distaste for it, but I wasn't going to bitch out at my loving husband. He was amazing. I loved him so much. He got us a place to live, and made sure we had 3 meals a day, even if they were meager meals. I knew that running away from home and getting married wasn't exactly a smart decision, but I wasn't going to let my parents get in the way of what I wanted.

And I sure as hell wasn't going to break down and beg them for money. I was too prideful for that. I got two jobs to help save money so we could finally buy a house and maybe have a baby together one day.

Things weren't looking very good because we were late with our rent this month and the landlord sent us another notice. Emmett had a grim expression on his face as he read it during breakfast, but as soon as he saw me staring, he immediately put on a cheerful smile. I hated this. I had a secret stash hidden in the apartment that was to be used for emergencies, but never let Emmett know about it. When we first moved to New York City, I modeled for some shops and they gave me money for it. I stopped going back because I saw how competitive and cruel the models there could be. I didn't want to get involved and settled for a small job.

I sighed as I peered into my bag again. Cheese sandwich. I don't know if it was going to be filling. This was the fourth time this week we had a cheese sandwich for lunch. One more day of cheese sandwiches and I'd be done. During the weekends, we had take out from cheap restaurants that offered delivery for a minimum purchase of ten dollars. It was our little routine and I liked it better than Emmett's food choices for us during the week.

I opened up the women's boutique I worked at and got everything set up before my boss arrived. Her name was Bella and she was extremely kind and flexible with my working hours. She was the wife of wealthy businessman Edward Masen and fairly young to be running a boutique. I guessed she was around 25 years old.

I worked with three other girls in the shop. Their names were Jessica, Victoria, and Maggie. I could consider them nice, but I keep my distance. I didn't want them to become friends with me and suddenly be backstabbed or something.

I started up the cash register and peered around.

The shop carried several designer brands and several unknown brands. I adored the items and clothing here, but it was much too expensive for me. For a relatively typical person with a good job, they could shop here and find the items affordable.

The bell rang and I looked up. Bella arrived. And she had a bag of doughnuts in her hands.

She smiled happily at me. "Good morning, Rosalie."

"Good morning Mrs. Masen." I mumbled.

"Care for a doughnut? I have glazed, jelly, chocolate sprinkle, custard, coconut cream, coffee, and more." She placed the box down on the counter and opened it.

My eyes widened in shock at how many selections there were. My mouth watered and I was fidgeting. How many could I have?

No, Rose, you're being greedy, I scolded myself.

I was shaken out of my thoughts when Bella said something.

"I know Jessica is on a diet so she probably won't have any. Victoria and Maggie will love these. Take as many as you like, just save some for the others." Bella trilled and headed off to her office.

Well, my boss was in a good mood today.

I took a jelly doughnut and placed it on a napkin. I bit into it and silently moaned. This was too good.

The other girls arrived shortly after and helped themselves. Jessica was the only one who stuck up her nose and went to go 'take inventory'.

I worked for a few hours until I saw that it was one or two o'clock. Bella stepped out of her office and took off her reading glasses.

She gathered the four of us at the cash register counter.

"I have some big news to announce." Bella blurted out, and then started giggling. "I'm going to be a mommy!"

We all congratulated her and she blushed.

"That means that once I'm around seven or eight months, there will be someone else in charge, temporarily. They'll probably be here for a year until I get the baby set up with a nanny." She fanned herself.

We dispersed after Bella went back into her office.

I heard Victoria and Jessica whispering in the corner while I rang up some customers. Maggie was in the front, helping a mom and her daughter pick out some jewelry.

"...her husband's like, nine years older than her!" Jessica said.

"Seriously? That means he's like, thirty four. Oh gross..." Victoria said, disgusted.

"But he's incredibly hot," Jessica reminded her.

"Don't forget loaded," Victoria added in, causing them both to burst into hysterics.

"Mr. Masen impregnated Mrs. Masen.... he impregnated Mrs. Masen..." Jessica chanted under her breath, causing Victoria to look around wildly and smack her on the arm.

I shook my head and ignored them. Listening to gossip was not the best thing.

I arrived home around six and started up dinner. We would be having spaghetti tonight. Without the meatballs, I added mournfully.

......

Emmett came home a little after six and went straight to the shower while I cooked the food.

We sat in our kitchen and ate, talking about our day.

At night, we snuggled together in our springy bed.

This was my life, I concluded. This was how my days were going to be like until we found solid ground in our jobs.

* * *

**Soo I make an appearance again. Well.. me and my collab author for the Googleward contest lost the challenge :( *tear* It's okay, though. There will be many other contests to come. I'm not fretting. I'm writing. **

**reviews are very much appreciated; they make me happy... and when i'm happy... I write! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.

**Take It Easy, Make It Last by kysouza3123**

Chapter 2

I wanted a baby of my own. It's too bad that we can't afford having one. It would be way too expensive. Emmett often commented that someday, someday when he makes enough money, we would move to a different state and settle down in a nice house and have a baby.

I didn't see that happening anytime soon.

We were living on a tight budget as it is, and were a month late with the apartment rent. The landlord knocked on the door four times asking for the money, and I tried to plead with him. He shook his head and threatened to evict us if we didn't have the money by the end of the month. I sighed as I shut the door.

"What is it, babe?" Emmett asked as he came out of the bathroom, freshly showered with a towel around his waist. "Is something wrong?"

"Felix wants the money for the rent we owed last month," I said slowly.

Emmett sighed. "Yeah, okay. I'll get the money as fast as I can. It's difficult."

I sniffed as I walked into the kitchen. I opened the cabinets, but there wasn't anything in them

"There's no food in the house!" I wailed.

"We have some leftover spaghetti from last night," Emmett said, trying to cheer me up.

"I want some real food, not canned stuff all the time!" I sat down at our cheap 'dining' table and placed my head on my folded arms.

"It's okay, Rose. We'll get through this, one day at a time. You just gotta have faith," Emmett said reassuringly.

How could he be so calm?

"Whatever, I'm making mac and cheese," I stood up and went to grab a box. We had tons of mac and cheese because they were on sale; $0.50 cents per box. Emmett bought soup for a dollar a can so we also had a big supply of them.

I heated up some water and stood by the stove. When the water bubbled, I poured the macaroni elbows in.

I made enough for the both of us and got a second bowl out for Emmett. He sat down and smiled at me. I tried to give him a smile, but it was very forced.

"Anything to drink?" he asked.

"I'm just having water," I said, starting to eat my lunch.

"Oh!" he grinned. "I remember, there is soda from last night's take out. I'll go get it." He stood up and opened our ugly fridge.

He came back with a half-filled soda container.

"It probably tastes plain by now," I said. "The ice melted into the soda and the fizz is gone."

He sucked through the straw and frowned. "You're right. It tastes bad, oh well."

After we were done eating, I brought the bowls to the sink and quickly washed them.

I saw Emmett putting on his coat and went to the front door.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Gettin' a lottery ticket," he responded.

"Oh," I said. I wanted to ask him to get more condoms, but was a little nervous.

"Can you get more... condoms?" I asked quietly.

"More what?" he leaned in closer, a grin on his face.

"Condoms," I whispered quickly.

He chuckled loudly. "Of course."

And then he opened the door and strolled out.

I cleaned the apartment a little and tried to spray some of my perfume around the living room. It smelled kind of odd so I wanted to clear up the stink.

Emmett came back half an hour later with a bag in hand.

"I got two lottery tickets," he said, plopping down on the worn couch. I headed over to him and grabbed the bag.

Emmett dug a hand into his pocket to get a coin so he could scratch the cards.

I was inspecting the condoms he bought. There were 36 condoms in the box.

Good enough.

I put it back in the bag and brought it into our small bedroom. I took it out of the bag- again- and placed the box in one of the nightstand drawers. This way, if we were ever going to have sex, it would be close by and convenient.

I headed back to the living room and found Emmett grumbling at the first scratch card. He threw it on the ground and I walked over and picked it up. Ah, dang it. You had to get four of the four-leaf clover symbols to win a million dollars. Emmett was missing one.

"Damn it! Damn it!" Emmett slammed the coin on the table as he stood up, fuming.

"Emmett, calm down," I told him, placing a hand on his muscular shoulder.

He turned and peered at me for a second, his eyes softening. "You're right, sorry Rose." He kissed my cheek and I hugged him tightly. "It's just difficult. I'm trying to save as much money as I can, but sometimes I can't take this." He walked into our room and shut the door.

I sighed as I took his empty spot on the couch. He had ripped the second scratch card into pieces and they lay on the carpet. I gathered it up and threw it out.

The first scratch card was still on the floor, unmoved. I went over to it and inspected it closely.

I read the directions twice and then my eyes widened. We still had a chance of winning. I quickly went to put on my coat and knocked on the bedroom door.

Emmett's expression was glum as he swung the door open. "Yes?"

"I think we still have a chance of winning. It said that if you had three or four of the four leaf clovers, you could win a prize. You had three out of the four, which means we can still win a prize!" I said giddily.

A huge smile appeared on his face and he dashed to the closet to put his coat back on.

"Let's go!" I announced.

.....

Though the name of the scratch card was Lucky Four – Leaf Clovers, it didn't necessarily mean that you had to get four. You could get three and still have a chance of winning, like us.

I walked into the grocery store after Emmett and followed him to the lottery section.

He handed over the scratch card to the man behind the counter and turned back to smile at me. I gave him an encouraging wink and ushered him forward. We watched with bated breath as the man scanned the card.

"Congratulations!"

We both looked up eagerly. "How much did we win?" Emmett asked excitedly.

"A thousand dollars," the man said with a grin.

I was happy but the other half of me wished for more money. Oh well. We would take what we were given.

.....

Emmett deposited the money into the bank that very night and decided that we would use a hundred bucks of it to eat at a nice restaurant. The extra money helped tremendously. Felix came by the day after we received our winnings, stating slyly that he heard we won some money. He asked if we were going to pay the rent, and Emmett shoved a wad of cash in his hand to get him to leave. I was relieved that we didn't have to worry about rent for another month. This money would lessen our stress about being able to pay for bills.

We sat in the fancy restaurant, looking around happily. I had never been in a restaurant this nice. They even provided live music in the center of the restaurant.

It was probably 'casual' to people who could afford it, but to me, this was fancy.

"What would you like to drink?" our waitress asked.

"Water please," I responded.

"Root beer," Emmett said, chuckling teasingly. "If I can't get beer, this might as well be the closest thing I can get."

I scowled at him before opening the menu that had been placed in front of us when the host seated us earlier.

"Your drinks will be out shortly," the waitress said and left.

We thanked her and then resumed perusing the menu for dinner choices. Everything looked so good, but the prices made me cringe a little. We could afford it, but I didn't want to splurge it all in one sitting. I wanted to enjoy the rewards as long as I could.

Emmett smiled at everyone who passed our table. He was certainly in a good mood this evening.

I finally decided to get a soup and seafood alfredo. Emmett got a gigantic burger with a side of fries and salad. The waitress came back with our drinks before placing our orders in the kitchen.

I sipped my water slowly and stared at a couple a few feet away. I squinted a little and realized that it was my boss and her husband. Edward and Bella Masen were currently a table away. And they had the most delicious dishes on their table I had ever seen. Edward Masen was cutting his steak smoothly, all the while staring at his wife, who was taking small bites of her vegetable platter and buttering a roll gracefully.

Mr. Masen said something to Bella and she laughed, throwing her head back. He smiled and then looked down at his dinner. He brought the fork up to his mouth and ate the piece of steak he had cut.

Bella nibbled the bread roll she buttered and dipped it into a small little dish of olive oil with basil. She swirled the roll around once and then ate the roll.

Emmett was having fun with his napkin and utensils. I looked at him and then back at all the other husbands in the restaurant. They were paying close attention to their wives and looked at them with adoring expressions. I wanted Emmett to be like that more often.

Our food came and I turned my attention away from my boss and her husband to enjoy my meal.

"This is good," Emmett commented, chewing with his mouth open and nodding to the burger in his hand.

_Of course it was good_, I thought. _It's almost twenty-five bucks!_

My dinner, however, was only eighteen dollars, so I thought it wasn't too bad.

I speared a shrimp and chewed. The shrimp was cooked to perfection and I examined the rest of the shrimp as I held my fork up to my face.

"Is something wrong with the shrimp?" somebody asked. I looked up to see our waitress standing beside our table, a look of worry on her face.

"Oh no," I responded, quickly putting the fork down. "The food is great."

She nodded and walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief. That was embarrassing. I made a mental note that I would never do that again. The waitress probably thought I was weird.

We ate slowly, so by the time I was wiping my mouth and getting ready to order dessert, I noticed Edward and Bella Masen standing up from their table. He helped her put her trench coat on and then pushed the chair back into the table. I glanced at the plates on their table and noticed that there was still food left on some of the plates. The steak was gone, but there was still soup and other small appetizers left on the table.

I didn't think they took leftovers home, ever. They didn't need to.

Their waiter immediately showed up beside Mr. Masen and handed them back his shiny, black credit card. He gave the waiter a fifty-dollar tip and took his wife's hand. The waiter stared down at his hand and his eyes bulged. I smiled at this and turned to Emmett, who gave me a weird look.

"You've been staring over there the entire time," he grumbled moodily. He took a fry and popped it into his mouth and chewed.

"So?" I snapped.

Emmett stared at me for a moment before shaking his head and finishing off the remaining fries on his plate.

"Tell me," I demanded. I wanted to know what he wanted to say.

"Nothing, it's nothing," he replied. I knew he was hiding something, and it made me upset that he didn't want to tell me anymore.

"Well obviously it's _something _since you gave me that weird look," I said in annoyance.

"For your information I was _not_ giving you a weird look. I was just frustrated that you spent the majority of the dinner staring at the couple the next table away instead of talking to me. I thought you might have been happy I decided to go out to dinner with you tonight." Emmett huffed and pushed his plate away. He placed his elbows on the table.

"The couple I was staring at was my boss and her husband, Emmett!" I whisper-shouted. "It was shocking to see them outside of work and I was curious how they acted and stuff. It's not a crime."

Thankfully, the waitress appeared just in time and took our plates away. She returned and asked if we wanted anything for dessert. I asked what she would recommend and she smiled and said the strawberry cheesecake was "to die for", so we went along with that.

I didn't check the menu this time, opting to be 'surprised' when I saw the price.

She came back with a slice of cheesecake topped with two strawberries on top. She put the plate in the middle of the table and placed two clean forks beside it.

"Enjoy," she said, and left.

"Thank you," I said.

Emmett and I started taking tiny bites. The cheesecake was fabulous. The whip cream was sweet and fluffy. We finished it quickly, each taking a strawberry to eat.

The bill came and I took a deep breath before opening the black folder.

I breathed a sigh of relief. We could pay for it easily.

Emmett held his hand out, so I passed the folder over to him. He opened it and scanned the bill for a minute before reaching into his pocket to pay.

The waitress came back for the folder and thanked us. Emmett left a tip on the table. I told him to tuck the money under the salt and pepper shaker, because that's what I saw a lot of other people doing. He sighed and did as I said. I smiled at him.

"Let's go home," he said, slipping on his coat and walked over to my side of the table.

"Sorry about earlier," I whispered.

I felt really bad for snapping at him. It was him that won the money in the first place. Emmett was the one who suggested we go out to eat. Emmett was the one who paid. I was just being a bitch to him.

He shrugged. "I don't really care anymore."

I swallowed, hoping we wouldn't get into an argument once we got home. I already ruined today's celebration, so I decided to keep my mouth shut for the rest of the evening to avoid ruining our _relationship_.

* * *

**I apologize for the long wait for this story. It just took forever to write this chapter. I hope I can get chapters out much more easily next time. Please review! :) I would like to hear your opinions on this new chapter and the lottery part.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't Twilight.

**Take It Easy, Make It Last by kysouza3123**

**Chapter 3**

**EMPOV**

I wasn't sure if it was just me, but Rose has been acting quite strange lately. I wondered if she was still upset about lashing out at me at our dinner celebration, but then decided that she would never ponder over that for more than a day. I forgave her.

It hurt me when she basically implied I wasn't as good as the other men, but I didn't think too much of it. That just told me I had to clean up my looks every now and then to look good because I knew how my wife was. She liked to look good, and while that wasn't bad, it was when she wanted me to change who I am.

"Hey, come to bed," Rose called from our bedroom. "It's late, and weren't you the one nagging me about wasting electricity when it wasn't needed? Turn off the light and come to bed. You can read the newspaper at breakfast."

I turned off the table lamp and walked into the bedroom. My wife lay on the bed with her hands behind her head. She had a small grin on her face.

"Did you like the dinner I made tonight?" I asked, crawling on the lumpy mattress.

She shrugged. "It was fine. Kind of lacked taste, but good overall. At least you didn't burn anything."

I looked down, and nodded. "I'll be sure to add more salt next time."

She leaned over and kissed me on the lips. After she pulled away, I licked my lips and tasted some fruity crap. I quickly wiped my lips on my hands when Rose reached to turn the bedside lamp off.

"Do you ever wish we didn't run away from home?" I asked her.

"No. I like having my freedom," Rose answered. "Why? Are you having second thoughts?"

I swallowed. "No, but I wonder what life could have been if we both stayed and went to college."

"Oh. Well, if we stayed, they wouldn't have let us be together, even if we were both legally adults." She snuggled up against my side.

I wrapped my arm around her, knowing she was right in every sense. Our parents were overly strict and didn't allow us to be near each other. The Hales didn't want Rose marrying me because they feared she wouldn't be able to live comfortably and get a nice education. My parents didn't want me having a girl holding me back from my future.

Either way, their plans for the both of us were butchered when we decided to pack our things and get married in Vegas. Rose knew some friends in New York City so we decided to make a new life for ourselves there. I contemplated buying a plane ticket, but decided that it was too pricey, and we needed to spend as little as possible. We drove in my car all the way to New York. It was an insane trip, and we both were exhausted by the time we reached her friend's apartment.

Vera and her husband allowed us to stay there for about two months until we found a place of our own and jobs to support us. We were really thankful.

I was glad that she forced me to work with her when we both turned sixteen. All the money saved was now very useful. Without it, I don't know how we would have lasted so long.

Every now and then, Rose would bake something for Vera and bring it over her apartment as a way of thanking her for letting us stay at her apartment the first two months we arrived in New York. Vera really was kind and sincere all wrapped into one package. She insisted we stay another month, but Rose and I didn't want to intrude anymore, so we got an apartment and moved out the next week.

"I know that. Do you think they'd still oppose to us being together if we stayed?" I asked, playing with a lock of her hair absentmindedly.

"I really don't know. They most likely couldn't have done anything about it, but they would have hated us being together," she replied quietly.

"Babe, they hated us being together from the very start," I told her, chuckling.

She laughed. "You're right, they did. My father thought you were a bad influence."

"My mother thought you were a bimbo," I told her.

She gasped. "Did she really say that about me?"

I nodded. "She did."

"Well, at least we're rid of them," she said, annoyed. "They put so much effort keeping us apart when we weren't eighteen that when we left, they didn't even try to stop us."

"I think they did try to stop us, but they didn't realize our plans in time until after we were gone," I added in.

"Oh, well, that doesn't matter now. We're far, far away from them, and there's nothing they can do about it now. We're both adults, and we're married." She kissed me on the cheek and rested her head on my chest.

"Are you playing with my hair, Emmett?" she asked.

I dropped the lock of hair. "No." I tried to sound innocent.

"Emmett!" she laughed, swatting my arm.

"Goodnight, Rose," I whispered, kissing the top of her head.

She yawned. "Night, Em."

**

"What's for breakfast?" I asked, stumbling out of the bedroom.

"Eggs," Rose answered snappily.

"Chill," I told her, sitting down at the table.

"Shut up, I don't feel like going to work today. My cramps are killing me." She gripped the pan and slid the eggs on a plate. She placed the pan back on the stove and placed the plate in front of me.

"No toast?" I asked, frowning.

"Just eat. The bread expired last week or so, and it was covered with splotches of mold. I didn't think you'd be too happy to eat that." Rose shut off the stove and settled in her seat with her own plate of breakfast.

"Pass the salt and pepper, please," I asked.

The pepper container slid across the table and I almost missed it, but caught it in time.

"Do we have some medicine?" I shook some salt and pepper on top of my eggs.

"No," Rose replied, stuffing egg in her mouth.

"I hope you feel better," I said sincerely.

She gave me a small smile and continued eating her eggs hungrily.

We were both done in five minutes. We stared at our plates, our stomachs grumbling for more nourishment.

"I'll get the lunches," Rose sighed as she stood up, grabbing our plates.

"Do you want my yogurt?" I questioned. I could give up my snack for her if needed. She was skinnier than me.

She shook her hand, refusing my offer. "I can't do that, Emmett. I already have my own snack. It's fine."

"You're sure?" I stood in the doorway.

She nodded. "I'll be fine. Bella brings some food in the morning for us anyway."

**

"Where is the aisle for golf clubs? My son needs some for a school sport." A short man came up to me as I was writing something down. His son stood beside him, staring at me with his mouth wide open.

"Aisle three," I pointed him toward the direction of the golf clubs.

"Thanks. Come on, Johnny," he called to his son.

"Do you work out a lot?" the boy asked.

I grimaced. A lot of people asked me this. "I played sports in high school and I'm allowed to use some of the machines here."

"Cool," Johnny said, smiling at me.

I smiled uncomfortably as he skipped away. I was taking notes of which items that needed to be restocked and ordered.

I actually loved my job at the athletic store. It was like play time for me. I was surrounded by people who were athletic, and did sports all day long. I got employee discounts and was able to use some of equipment.

"You ate all the donuts in the employee lounge, didn't you?" I heard the annoying voice of Jacob Black from behind me.

This guy was seriously a dick. I hated dealing with him, but we worked together, so it was unavoidable. He was the other assistant manager, hired a month after I was promoted.

He liked to put me down whenever the boss was around as much as possible. Too bad Mr. Newton actually liked me. His son, however, was a dick as well, and was the one who allowed Jacob to be hired.

When Mike was in charge, he turned a blind eye to all the pranks Jacob pulled on me. When his father was at the store, he immediately became a little puppy, and tucked his tail in between his legs. On those days, I was glad I was able to order Jacob around a little.

I decided that once Lauren Mallory, the current manager, left to have her baby, and I was promoted, I would assign Jacob horrible duties.

I grinned to myself, thinking of all the things I would have him do.

Mr. Newton had hinted that he was pleased with my work performance and would make me manager after Lauren left. She wasn't going to return to work. She decided to become a stay at home mother. Lauren was a pretty cool girl. She was neutral and carried out work duties professionally. Whenever Jacob pulled a prank on me, and she was there to witness it, she would make him stand outside the store with a basketball suit on, handing out flyers.

That only happened twice, but I was amused as hell. I remembered those memories the best.

"Jacob, stop blaming the problems on me. I didn't eat the stupid donuts," I told him, not looking up from my paper.

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't." I rolled my eyes.

"Prove that you didn't do it," Jacob said, crossing his arms.

I wanted to punch him, but no, customers were around. He'd get what was coming for him later.

"I'm busy. I don't have time to play your stupid games," I mumbled, crossing out some things and checking another box.

We were out of tennis balls and mouth guards. I checked the boxes to order more of them.

"You're buying the next batch of donuts tomorrow," he said. "I'm telling Mike to dock your pay. He is going to convince his dad to make me manager when Lauren is gone."

Stupid, smug dog.

"Oh yeah? How about you stick this highlighter up your—" I stopped when I saw Lauren passing by with a raised eyebrow.

"Jacob, shut up and go do your work. Remember to get that toilet paper off your ass after you take a dump, dickhead." I gave him an evil grin before turning away.

"Asshole!" I heard him shout as I walked away.

**

"Bread, apples, pasta," I mumbled to myself as I pushed the small grocery cart around the store.

I got off work at the athletic store and drove to the grocery store for food. I had two crumpled up twenty-dollar bills in my pocket as I walked around.

I saw some chicken on sale and bought a pack. We could put it in the freezer.

I bought the bulk items – pasta, rice, and canned soup. I threw in a pack of hot dogs and canned ham. I mentally calculated that the total was around $21 dollars. I walked down the snack aisle and found some store-brand popcorn on sale and bought two bags of that.

Rose had mentioned how we were running low on plastic sandwich bags, so I got some more of it. I was trying to stick to store-brand items because they were typically cheaper than commercial brand items.

I also picked up a small box of medicine to relieve some menstrual symptoms like cramps.

I was uneasy as I checked the total again. I slowly put my items on the conveyor belt. I had enough to pay for everything. I breathed a sigh of relief as I loaded everything into the car and drove back to the apartment.

Rose still wasn't home, so I dropped off the items in the kitchen and put them in their places. I ate one of the canned soups to satisfy my growling stomach.

I took a short nap and my alarm clock woke me up at six. I rubbed my eyes. Rose should be home soon. She usually walked or took the subway.

I started preparing dinner. She would like this, not having to cook after coming home from a day at work again. I knew she didn't like the girls that worked with her, and they caused her some stress, so I wanted to take some weight off her shoulders and make food for the both of us tonight. I decided that I would make the food have more 'taste' tonight. Rose probably craved something salty.

This way, she wouldn't have to worry about feeding me on time before I left for the night club to bar tend until midnight. I got good tips and the cook and I were good friends. He would give me free food sometimes. Yes, the night club offered food.

It was nearly seven when Rose walked into the apartment.

She sighed loudly as she locked the door behind her. "I'm home!"

"Hey Rose," I said as she came up from behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"What are you making?" she asked.

"Pasta and hot dogs. Is that weird?"

"Not really. It's food. I'm hungry and I'm going to take a quick shower." She gave me a small peck on the cheek and walked out of the kitchen.

**

"This is pretty good," Rose said, nodding as she chewed the food.

"Thanks," I smiled at her.

"Yeah, I like this," she ate some more.

I watched her for a moment, just studying her face. She seemed relaxed and happy as she ate the dinner I made for the two of us.

I cleaned the plates and bowls when we were done eating. Rose disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door fifteen minutes ago.

When I opened the door, she quickly turned around as she shut the closet door.

"What are you up to?" I asked casually.

She gave me a small smile. "Nothing much. Are you leaving soon?"

I checked the clock. "In about five minutes."

"Oh, that's good. The earlier you get there, you get more tips, right?" Rose walked over to me.

"I don't get paid if I show up earlier than expected," I replied.

She trailed a finger down my chest. "That's too bad. But you'll come home after you're done working, right? I don't like you being out that late. They might rob you."

I laughed. "What do they have to rob? My paychecks get sent to our place, I don't receive it at work."

She pouted and pushed me out the door. "You'd better go. You don't want to be late."

I stopped smiling and grabbed my coat. "I'll see you later. Don't try to wait up for me. You need all the sleep you can get. Bye."

She didn't hug me, but waved from the bedroom. "Bye!"

I wondered what she was keeping from me. I definitely noticed her sneaking around the bedroom much more often. She didn't come out to the living room to sit on the couch with me and simply listen to the radio anymore. She remained in the bedroom.

I didn't want to accuse her of anything, so I decided to just keep an eye on her.

As soon as I walked out of the apartment building, another thought hit me and I mentally beat myself up. I completely forgot to tell her about the menstrual medicine I bought for her to help with the abdominal cramps. I sighed, shaking my head. I'd tell her tomorrow. I really wanted to show it to her tonight at dinner, but it slipped from my mind. I would have liked to see her happy that I thought of helping her with her 'lady problems'.

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**Sorry for the long wait! I have a huge research thesis paper to write :( It's been taking up a lot of my time... enjoy & review!**

**What could be the secret Rose is hiding from Emmett?  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**There are no words to express how sorry I am for the almost-year old delay of chapter 4. Seriously! I hope you guys forgive me since I hope to continue updates. I don't guarantee anything, but you can hopefully see updates once a month or less if I manage to write enough. But here is the long-awaited chapter!**

**What happened previously: Emmett and Rose discuss the history behind their elopement, and family relationships. Emmett has to deal with a new co-worker that he dislikes immensely at his daytime job (athletic store) that is vying for the exact same promotional job. Emmett becomes suspicious of Rose's recent secretive behavior as he leaves for his night job.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight**

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**chapter four **

After I left the house, I headed to the club to start my nighttime job as a bartender. I had a few co-worker friends there, but we weren't exactly close or the kind you would hang out with outside of work. We'd just chat while serving drinks and crack jokes here and there.

I got hit on a lot during the job, but I didn't let it get in the way of working. I worked here because it was relaxing and offered a source of income. Other than that, I wasn't into flirting or the groups of women that shot me winks and smiles.

Rose would go apeshit if she knew that I had plenty of women trying to sweet-talk me at the club. She was the jealous type, and would interrogate me until no end. It didn't matter because I hardly discussed work with her. She would never have to know about the details of my work. If she asked, I'd keep things vague but good enough to satisfy her questions.

I arrived at the club and went into the back to change into the club uniform.

"Hey Emmett, what's up?" Josh, another bartender nodded to me as he walked through the door.

"Nothing much, you? Just want to get my work done and head home to Rosie," I answered.

Josh laughed. "I know how you feel. I want to get home too; but I don't have a girl waiting for me. You're a lucky guy, Emmett."

I smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to respond to that. Instead, I just patted his back and went out to the bar, where two other bartenders were already pouring drinks like their life depended on it.

The club was about to get intensely crowded tonight. I could already tell by the number of cars and people lining up outside the building. I stretched my arms out and cracked my knuckles, ready to attend to many eager club-goers.

I had my work cut out for me tonight; it was going to be a long night – filled with awesome tips.

By the time the club closed, the bartenders were in a hurry to leave. As an unspoken rule, the ones who stayed behind to clean up and put everything away behind the counter got what was in the tip jar that night. The ones who left early didn't get the contents of the tip jar. They got tips from drinks they served during the night, so that was alright.

I was the only one of the four nighttime bartenders that volunteered to stay behind. I had kept an eye on the tip jar all night, estimating how much I would get. There were a lot more customers tonight because apparently women were in a clubbing mood, which brought in more male customers as well. More women always meant more money for the club.

I guessed that maybe there was about a hundred dollars or more in the tip jar and made it my motivation for cleaning up faster. That way, I could go home earlier and snuggle in bed with Rose, relishing in the aftermath of a long night at work. The flip side was that I received great tips.

It was great working behind the counter because as you served more and more drinks, people's judgments are a bit clouded and they might tip more than usual. It was a little bit cruel to think of it in that way, but it was their actions. So let's say a guy wanted to impress a girl, he would whip out his wallet and show how much dough he had. He would proceed to drop a twenty in the jar like it was nothing. The girl would be impressed and dance with him. Or go home with him.

Either way, lots of tips are thrown in from both men and women.

I rinsed the towel I used to wipe down the counter and squeezed water out in the sink.

I turned the tip jar over and pulled dollar bills out of the container slowly. I didn't want to end up ripping any money.

It took me about fifteen to twenty minutes sorting out the money and totaling it all up. I had about $203.47 in tips. I put it all in my wallet and pockets. I was happy.

Before leaving, I checked all the lights to make sure they were off before walking to alert the manager that I was leaving.

I leaned on the doorway and cleared my throat. Steve was behind his desk, writing away.

"Hey Emmett, what's up?" he asked.

"I just, uh, turned off the lights and finished up behind the bar. Just wanted to let ya know. And I'm heading out now." I gave him a nod.

Steve smiled and nodded back.

I stopped by the gas station to fill up on gas since the car was running low on fuel. I went inside the gas station to pay beforehand and grabbed a stick of beef jerky as a snack. For Rose, I got a pack of blue raspberry gum since it was her favorite flavor of all time. She would appreciate the thought.

I went back to the car to start pumping gas. As I waited for the numbers to turn to 20 dollars, I glanced around. I saw a heavily pregnant woman making her way out of the gas station. She was struggling with walking down the steps. I wanted to help her out, but I couldn't leave my current position.

I quickly looked at the numbers and saw that it was almost done pumping gas. I finished off and placed the pump back in its holder and closed the door on the gas tank.

"Here, let me help you, miss," I offered to the pregnant woman.

She smiled gratefully at me. "Thank you so much. I'm not even supposed to be out today, but I was really craving beef jerky. You know those slim thingies? I ate it as soon as I bought it."

I looked down at my pants pocket. The Slim Jim I bought was sticking out of a pocket. I didn't want the poor lady to exert herself anymore than she already did by going back in the store to buy another Slim Jim.

"Here, have it. I don't need the extra snack," I shrugged nonchalantly as I placed the beef jerky in her hand.

"Really? But why?" Her eyes were wide in surprise.

"Ah, well my wife doesn't like me eating junk food much. It's probably better you have it." I gave her an assuring smile. "You should eat healthier, though. Beef jerky isn't the best option."

"But you helped me down the stairs. And now you're offering me a free beef jerky. I'm going to cry now," she said as tears welled up and poured over her eyes. "You're just so nice. Can I do anything to repay you?"

I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little bit uncomfortable now. I just wanted to help out a random person. I wasn't expecting her to be so emotional, but I guess it's not surprising or anything, given the nature of her current condition. I would guess she had twins in her belly.

"Nah, I don't want anything. I just wanted to give you a hand up the stairs. It looked difficult and painful. I don't want any payment." I backed away and held my hands up.

She frowned. "Well, that won't do. I've got to give you something back. Now I feel bad."

"No, really. I don't want anything. I just was lending a helpful hand," I tried to sound firm.

Finally, she sighed. "Alright, if you insist. But I mean, seriously, if you need anything, give me a call. How about that?"

She fumbled around in her handbag and finally handed me a white business card. I read the front.

ALICE BRANDON-WHITLOCK

SHOE DESIGNER

xxx-xxx-xxxx

"Nice," I commented, waving it in front of my face. The card gave off a floral scent. My nose twitched a little but I tried hard not to sneeze.

She grinned. "Thanks. I love it. It's so simple, yet so striking and professional."

"Well, Miss. Brandon-Whitlock, I have to go. My wife is probably waiting for me at home," I tried to say it gently so it wouldn't offend her in any way.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I'm keeping you from going home, aren't I? I get really chatty sometimes and lose track of time. I honestly don't know what to do with myself," she sighed dramatically and fanned herself.

"Do you need any additional assistance?" I wanted to make sure she got home safely.

I had a soft spot for pregnant women and babies. I didn't want any harm to come to them. Women gave birth to children. Children were the future. Women gave _life_ to children.

I would forever be amazed at how great the gift of life is. Nine months- that's all it usually took. And then, a baby would arrive. Your world would be utterly consumed by that tiny being that's no bigger than a shoebox, or even a loaf of bread.

But the moment you saw them, everything changed. Priorities reset themselves and you became an entirely new person. I wanted to be a part of that amazing process. I wanted to raise a baby of my own with Rose.

_I was so whipped._

The only thing that was in our way was money. That, and the fact that I wanted to be a little bit older when I had my kid. Rose agreed with me on this one.

"No, thank you. I'll be just fine. My friend is picking me up, you see. She's also pregnant, but her husband is way more protective than my own." She giggled and swung her bag around.

I nodded. "If you're sure. It's dark out and women shouldn't be out alone by themselves, especially you since you're pregnant!"

Mrs. Brandon-Whitlock rolled her eyes and sighed. "You sound exactly like my mom. I'll be okay. My friend's on her way, I got her call as I walked out of the store." She gestured behind her to the convenience store.

"Okay, but how about I wait until your friend gets here?" I asked, still uncertain about leaving her here alone. I really didn't want to wake up to tomorrow's newspaper with giant headlines stating a pregnant woman was kidnapped or murdered at a gas station. The guilt would remain with me forever if I didn't make sure she was picked up and brought home safely.

"Fine, fine! Just go in your car. I'll go back inside the store and wait for my ride. But wait, what's your name?" Mrs. Brandon-Whitlock asked.

"Emmett," I responded, giving her a smile.

"Emmett. That's a cool name," she mused, unwrapping the Slim Jim I gave her.

"How did you even get here?" I wondered. She was being picked up... but how did she get here?

"I kind of lied to my neighbor and said I was meeting my friend at a coffee shop, but I wasn't. I walked the two blocks down to the gas station to get Slim Jims," she confessed, looking guilty.

I laughed. "Well that's not good. You shouldn't do that. You should always let people know where you are."

"True, very true. You're great at giving advice, Emmett!" She beamed at me, nibbling on the Slim Jim.

"No, I'm really not. It's just common sense, ya know? I didn't get a degree in that or anything," I laughed, trying to make things less awkward.

We stood in silence for a few minutes before a black Audi pulled up in front of us. I whistled, admiring the shiny surface and sound of the engine.

"That's my friend!" Mrs. Brandon-Whitlock shrieked excitedly, trying to bounce up and down, but unable to because of her bulging belly.

I held back laughter and disguised it as a cough when her head snapped to face me, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Nothing, I guess I'll see you around, Mrs. Brandon-Whitlock," I waved goodbye to her, heading toward my car.

"Call me Alice!" She yelled from the distance as I unlocked the car and got in. I saw her friend's car pull out of the gas station quickly.

I started my car and drove home to Rose, excited to share news of my huge tip from tonight's shift. She would be overjoyed with the extra money we had. This meant that we could splurge a little on better snacks for lunch during the week.

She wouldn't have to eat cheese puffs and suffer from a rumbling belly. I would make sure she had some nicer things to eat this week, even if it cost me a little.

"Hey Rosie! I'm home!" I shouted as I closed the door behind me. I patted my pocket to make sure the money was still there. It was.

I smiled as I made my way to our bedroom. Before I left for my shift at the club, I told Rose not to wait up for me since I'd be home late, and I was. I told her to get as much sleep as she could since she always complained that she was exhausted after a day at work.

It was also her time of the month, so I got her some medicine to help with some of the symptoms. I just forgot to give it to her when she came home.

The door to our room was closed when I got there, but I saw light and some movement underneath. I knocked twice.

"Rose?" I called out.

No answer.

I knocked again, but there was no response. "Hey babe, open up. I got some big tips from work tonight and I thought you'd want to share the good news with me."

After waiting for two minutes, I decided to go in anyway. I wasn't going to stand out here and knock endlessly for an answer when I could go in and see what was keeping her from responding to me.

"Emmett!" I heard Rose shout.

"What?" I asked, confused, looking around the room for her, but she was nowhere to be found. "Where are you?"

I saw her clambering out of our closet. She closed it behind her and jumped on the bed, giving me a wide smile. It was a little bit concerning that she appeared out of the closet and quickly closed it behind her.

"What took you so long to respond back?" I murmured, hugging her close to me.

She wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her face in my chest. "Oh, I was just reorganizing our closet. It was getting messy and clothes were falling off the shelves."

"I thought I told you to not wait up for me. It's late," I scolded her gently.

She shook her head. "No, I just wanted to wait up for you anyway. It was lonely, but I didn't want to sleep without you by my side."

She looked up at me with her wide, blue eyes that made my heart melt.

"I'm home, now," I announced, spreading my arms and grinning at her.

"You're such a goofball," she mumbled, pushing me away teasingly.

We snuggled in bed together, and I told her about the large amount of tips I received tonight. She was silent for a few moments, but I didn't think much of it. Rose probably thought that money wouldn't be able to be touched anyway, since we were always in urgent need of money to pay for bills and such. However, this time I promised myself I'd treat her to a something nice.

We wouldn't go out to dinner like the time I won the scratch ticket, but we could splurge on some quality ice cream or chocolate that wasn't grocery-store bought. I made a note to myself that I would give her the medicine for her cramps tomorrow. Those would hopefully relieve some of her unpleasant and painful symptoms. I didn't want Rose to be in pain.

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**So what did you think? I know we didn't get more into why Rose is being so secretive, but you will get hints in the next chapter. Drop me a review stating your theories on what Rose could be hiding, or if you liked/disliked the chapter!**


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